Black Pearl

Chapter 2

"I can't believe you are going to the human world and to marry a prince, no less!" Oceana said. She seemed positively horrified by the news at first, as did the six other sirens we shared a room with. Now that they had found out about the arranged marriage it no longer seemed so bad. "But, you've always been restless on the island. It only makes sense that you will be the first one of us to go back."

"And you're powerless," River piped up, flicking her red hair over her shoulder. "The humans will see you as less of a threat that way. They're so sensitive."

"They should have sent one of the prettier ones," someone else whispered. "I've heard that European beauty is sweeping the human world. They are going to take one look at her big nose and dark hair and throw her back into the ocean."

Oceana's blue eyes flashed with anger. "How about we just appreciate the risk that she is jumping into. I think you're very brave," Oceana stated, grasping both of my hands as we perched together on top of my tiny bed with my worn quilt around our shoulders.

"You're so lucky," another siren gushed. "You don't have to eat fish and potatoes anymore. And you will get new clothes. My grandma told me that the humans are always changing their styles. There, it would be unheard of to wear the same clothes for years. Can you imagine, a different dress for everyday of the week?"

I knew this to be true. I had seen the different hem lines, seen the shimmering fabrics, and been in awe of the shoes that were so clean, unlike the slippers that we wore, almost worn through the soles. I could confirm that humans adored change.

"Oh, you'll send us new dresses won't you?" Oceana pleaded. "And maybe food."

"I don't know what I will have access to. I don't know how much this man will be willing to give. I'm going to try and reintegrate our kind, but things could always go terribly wrong. The queen promised me a place here again if the humans don't treat me well," I stated, my voice coming out cold and automatic.

It still didn't seem possible. The queen wouldn't do this to me. She wouldn't punish me like this. She knew that the humans were dangerous, that they hated us. I hadn't believed the stories. I hadn't thought that anyone would try to hurt me when I visited them. I thought it would be like those fairytales that we read to each other. Someone would notice me. Someone would offer me a whole new world.

But I had returned to the sea, afraid and sobbing. And missing a pearl from the hilt of my dagger.

"But you're going to be marrying a prince. Surely he will protect you," River assured. "I've heard that they have armies made up of hundreds of warriors who obey their every command. You have nothing to fear."

"Ooooh, yes, it will be like that handsome prince from the books!"

"Yes! But this one won't start out as a frog!"

"And once you've completed your marriage, you can come visit us at any time. You can bring those gems that they always talk about, diamonds and rubies! And you can bring us seeds and fabrics for new clothes."

The chatter became overwhelming. All of the girls speculated on what the newest fashion trends would be, what my future husband would be like, and what food I would bring back to them. They all looked at me with wide, excited eyes, waiting for me to smile and promise them riches beyond my own comprehension. 

But all I could think was that I would have to use my dagger again. Human men were not princes from story books. They were dirty, vile, and violent. They got what they wanted, no matter the cost. And I carried the burden of taking life, seeing those dead eyes every night.

In my mind, I was already planning my swim back to the island. If I found some kind of bag that sealed, I could bring back a few things for my sisters. Maybe not meters upon meters of fabric, but small seeds, some jewels, maybe slippers. 

I spent my final night on siren island holding my dagger overtop of my chest, my thumb tracing the dent that was left in place of the lost pearl.

The queen came for me as soon as the sun rose above the sea. 

"Let's get you ready for your departure," she whispered, careful not to wake my sisters.

I stared at Oceana as I passed, wishing that I had the courage to shake her shoulders and say good bye. An island with only women and a limited amount of social interaction was a breeding ground for cutthroat behavior, but she had never turned against me. She never exploited my weakness, never laughed when I couldn't conjure power from the sea.

I was a coward and I walked away from my closest companion without saying a single word.

I followed the queen to her dressing room. I had felt numb all morning and the majority of the evening before, but when she pulled out a long emerald dress, I couldn't help but gasp. I had never seen anything like it. 

Ever since I could remember, I spent my free time mending holes in my clothes. Each dress was a blessing, but they had all been gently used. We had no access to textile manufacturing like the humans. Whatever the ocean provided for us and whatever we managed to bring on our initial pilgrimage all those years ago was all that we had now. Each one of the dresses I had worn had been loved and cared for by two or three girls before me.

But not this dress. In fact, the lack of holes was the least shocking thing about it. It hung to the ground, shimmering in the light. The fabric was strange, something I had never seen before, stiff and structured. And it had dozens of small, glittering stones sewn on to it, in a strange pattern that reminded me of enchanted forests, not the ocean. A thick, velvet cape was attached to the shoulders, pooling on the stone flooring. Not a single section of fabric was faded, as if it had never seen the sun.

"I might be able to swim with the dress on, but the cape needs to come off. It will drown me," I said. "And why green? We are daughters of Poseidon, not impersonating Persephone."

The queen gave me a quick glance, seeming a little peeved. "Ember, we are not going to flaunt you about. This will be a quiet alliance. Only the prince and a few in the palace will know what you are. And you're not swimming. You're being presented as a princess, not an athlete. The prince is sending his finest ship to pick you up and sail you home."

"That is absurd! I don't want to go!" I burst, no longer able to continue on so calmly.

"Do you think that you are not the best option for this?" the queen asked.

"It's not that-"

"Because I truly think you are. You are sweet and timid, what most princes want. And we have already discussed your lack of powers being beneficial. All you have to do is sit on a throne and bring us back gifts occasionally, if you feel so inclined. In a few years you can announce that you are a siren and everyone will be impressed with your civil behavior. Slowly, we can start reintegrating ourselves in society. If this could be solved in one trip, over a couple of hours, we would have done it already, but this is our only option."

"I understand that," I ground out.

"Then, is there a reason why you think I should pick someone else?" she pressed. "We can't continue on like this. We are a proud people, but all we have left is rubble."

I can't go back to the human shores, because last time I came home as a murderer. No human is capable of being a prince from a fairytale with kind eyes and dashing smiles!

But I kept my mouth shut and stared down at my worn slippers. 

The queen took my silence as compliance and smiled a little. "With your dark complexion you are going to look so beautiful in green. Those sailors aren't going to be able to keep their hands off you."

If only she understood that that was were my concerns came from. 

~~~Question of the Day~~~

If you suddenly had to live on an isolated island to ensure you're survival, what is one thing you'd absolutely have to have?

For me, it's my kindle. I used to be a paperback gal, but having a dozen books in something that takes up the same space as a calculator is amazing.